Wildlife Officials Encourage Northglenn Residents To Be Hostile To Coyotes

NORTHGLENN, Colo. (CBS4) – Wildlife officers are handing out flyers to some Northglenn neighbors after some concerning reports about coyote behavior have come in.

Officials say there have been several reports of the animals coming dangerously close to people and their pets at a park. Also, Northglenn police say a family pet was killed last week from what was likely a coyote attack.

The flyers essentially explain to residents that coyotes should not be treated like stray dogs.

In two recently reported incidents coyotes acted like they were waiting to be fed.

“We know there is a coyote that is very comfortable with people and their pets out there,” said Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokeswoman Jennifer Churchill.

“Another report was actually of a gentleman with his dog walking on the path and the coyote kind of crouched down and was wagging its tail and crouching down as a person approached,” Churchill said.

There are no reports of any attacks on humans in the Northglenn area recently, although there was a coyote-human attack last month in the Boulder area.

Coyotes cannot be trapped or relocated, so game managers are begging residents to treat coyotes with hostility.

“I think this neighborhood needs to understand that they have coyotes around so they need to do everything they can to make sure they are chasing those animals off, not feeding them,” Churchill said.

Patrols and signs near the park warn people to watch out.

On Tuesday night mother Tiffany Keller told her children what to do if they see a coyote near them.

“Since we were just walking right now we just told them if you see a coyotes make noise and get a rock,” she said.

Coyotes have posed problems from time to time across many parts of the Denver metro area. Wildlife officials say if you come in close contact with an aggressive coyote, get a good description of the animal and report it immediately.